Combined signal and sign-displaying lamp for vehicles.



A. M. PUOKETT. v GOMBINED SIGNAL AND'SIGN DISPLAYING LAMP FOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILEDDYEO. 1, 1910.

Swuzwboz Q Vi Mwoow F a 51; i Q {264 t 9 Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'onr IoE.

ALMOR MANOR PUGKETT,

OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

COMBINED SIGNAL AND SIGN-DISPLAYING LAMP FOR VEHICLES.

nooasoc.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented one. 10, 1911.

Application filed December 1, 1910. Serial No. 595,146.

{lb all .juho'm it may concern: 'Be' it known that I, AALMOR MANOR Iuoxnrr, a citizen of the United States, re siding at San Antonio, in the county of Bexarand State of Texas, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Signal and Sign-Displaying Lamps for Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, suchas will en.- ablewothers skilled in the art to which it .appertains to, make and use the same- This invention relates to improvements in combined signal and number displaying" lamps for vehicles.

One object of the invention is to provide a lamp of this character the casing of which is so arranged that but one light 1s required for illuminating therear and side signals.

and the sign or number.

Another object of the invention is 'to:

provide a lamp of this character having an improved arrangement andv construction of number holding mechanism whereby the numbers will be protected from. injury or from becoming soiled and from which the plates containing the numbers may be readily removed and interchanged for other plates. b

With the foregoing and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and;

arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and'particularlypointed out. in the appended claims.

In the accompanying, drawings is a rear view of our improved lamp; Fig. 2 is a top plan View; Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the casing for holding the plates containing. the numbers or letters forming thesign; Fig. 4c is a, cross sectional view of the same on the line M of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 dengtes the body. portion of the lamp which be constructed of any suitable -me'tal andwhich is preferably of cylindrical j form atits upper and lower ends and of globular formbetween itsends. .The upper end of the bedy iportionis; closed by e-i. hinged'top comprising an inner tube 2 hav ing on its upper end a shield oi foazpgfiiyvhich is spaced a sliightdistance above the end of the tube and is securedat sa dgjend in any, suitable manner, and'spac e d a.isultable distance from the outer side of the inner tube is'aian outertube 6, said oiiter tube having its upper open end covered and Figure 1 protected by a cap 7' which is spaced a suit-' able di'st-anceabove the .tube 6- and is secured thereto and to the adjacent outer surface of the inner tube. on the lower end of the outer tube 6 is secured an annular flange. 9 which is adapted to fit the upper end o-f the body 1 and is hingedly connected thereto to permit the top to be swung back to an open position when desired. .At a suitable position on the top is arranged a spring catch 10 whereby the top is held in closed position. i

One side of the globular portion ofthe body l is cut out and in the opening thus formed is secured the inner end of a sign supporting and displaying box 11 the end walls of which diverge or project outwardly :from the opposite sides of the-body andthus form a substantially triangular box as shown. The outer side of the box is of oblong shape with square ends. On the inner surfaces of the square ends of the'box are arranged series of vertically disposed 0 guides 18. With the outer guides 13 is slidablyenga'ged a transparent sign protecting plate not shown which is preferably formed of heavy glass. With the inner guides 13 is removably engaged a frame or casing 15 for holding the plates containing the numbers or letters forming the sign to'be displayed. In the top of the box is formed a longitudinal slot or opening not shown through which the number holding frame and the protecting plate may be removed from or placed in the box. This opening is adapted to be closed by a cover "17 having on its edges downwardly projecting flanges which fit over the edges of the opening-and, a5 thustightly close the same. The rear edge of. the opening .is provided with'an' upwardly' projecting flange behind which and to the top of the box is hingedly connected the rear edge or flange of the cover 17. By 100 thus hingedly, connecting the cover '17, Water will be prevented from running into the box'throughiathe hinge connection of the cover. On the opposite ends of the cover are anraliged spring catches 19 whereby the 105 coy er issecurelyfastened in closedposition. ,.:Z-lhe frame'cr casing 15 for holding the plates containing-the, letters or numbers of ,the sign comprise .top', bottom, and end chan nel ironrstrips or pieces.=;20rwith which are slidably engaged the plates 21 containing the numbers and letters ofthe' sign.-. In the upper strip 20 near one end of the frame is as v formed an opening of sutlicient length to permit one of the plates at a time to be removed from the frame,-the strip is. provided at the sides of said opening with. right angular laterally projecting flanges which engage the flanged opposite edges of the cover plate 22 which is thus slidably connected to the frame and is adapted'to be slipped back and forth to uncover and cover the opening in the frame thus providing for the removal or insertion of the plates containing the numbers or letters. On the outer end of the cover plate 22 is formed a locking lug 23 which is ,adapted to be engaged by a spring catch 24 arranged on one end of the frame whereby the cover is. held in a closed position. On the opposite end of the cover is formed a thumb plece whereby the same may be readily retracted to an open position.

On the rearside of the top strip of the frame 15 is formed a finger piece or lug 25 by means of'which the frame may be. more readily gripped and drawn up out of engagement with the guides 13 in the box." On

.the rearside of the frame .15. and spaced apart at suitable intervals is a series of integrally formed connecting strips 26 which seri'e to brace the'upper and lower strips of the [frame and which are arrangeddnposition to cover the joints or cracks between the plates containing the numbers or letters of the sign thus preventing the light from showing through between the plates, The plates 21 containing the numbers or letters forming the sign; are preferably formed of glass and are of uniform width. The plates are double or formed of two pieces of glass, the outer piece being transparent and havnumbers.

ing the numbers formed on the sides thereof in outline and surrounded by a.solid background which 'is preferabl black or of dark color. The rear pieces 0 the plates correspond in. size to the front pieces and are preferably formed of oval or similar form of glass, said pieces being cemented or otherwise firmly secured to the inner sides of the front plate thus covering and protecting the band or other material forming the In the side of the globular portion of the body 1 is arranged a rearwardly projecting light conducting tube disposed immediately below the center of the box and having arranged on its rear end an annular head 29 in which is secured the red glass signal lens 30 through which a red light is displayed at the rear of the vehicle.

On the side, of the body portion and in the same horizontal. plane as the rear tube is arranged laterally projecting light conducting tube 31- 911. the outer end of which isarranged a head 32 in which is secured the-green glass lens not shown for the side signal light.

Detachably secured to the lower end of the bodyportion 1 of the lamp is a lamp socket or receptacle 34-which is preferably of oval or globular form. Any suitable form of lamp may be arranged in the socket 34 On the inner side of the body portion of r the casing is arranged a socket 45 by means of which the lamp may be engaged with a bracket for the purpose of supportin the lamp in position on the rear end of the vehicle.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the aocompanyin drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the apthe opening, and strips connecting the outside flanges of the top and bottom in position to cover the meeting edges of the plates.

2. In a combinedsignal and number displaying lamp for vehicles a body portion, a sign holding box arranged on and projecting laterally from the body portion, said box having in its-rear side aview opening and in its upper side a passage through which the sign is adapted to be arranged in and removed from the box, a cover Hinged to the top of ,the box and adapted to close said passage, an upwardly projecting flange formed along the rear edge of' the passage adjacent to the hinge connection of the cover whereby water is prevented from en tering the passage, latches adapted to holdsaid cover in closed position, and a sign removably held "b the end walls of the box immediately be ow the opening in the top:

thereof.

In testimony whereof I have'hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

ALMOR MANOR PUCKETT. Witnesses: D.- P. FAUT,

' HENRY S. GREESBEEOK.

copies of this p'atent may be obtained for five cents each, by adds'essin g the Commissioner of Patents;

Washington, D. O. 

